


For the Pursuit

by Kittens



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alcohol, Asexual Kylo Ren, Attempted Seduction, Competency Kink, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-07-13 18:35:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16023608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kittens/pseuds/Kittens
Summary: In order to ensure he’s indispensable to the new Supreme Leader, General Hux decides he’s going to seduce him. Surely, it can’t be a difficult task. But what he’s not counting on is Kylo being completely oblivious to his advances. Or the part where he might actually be falling for Kylo.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For the Kylux Mini Bang 2018. Art by the wonderful [amikoroyaiart](https://amikoroyaiart.tumblr.com/)!

Of all the casualties in the  _ Supremacy _ catastrophe, the one Hux felt the most was Captain Phasma. Not only was she valuable in helping run the First Order, but Hux had also come to rely on her as a friend. Although she had survived, the doctors were not hopeful that she’d ever return to full duty. Hux was more than prepared to offer her a non-strenuous position somewhere, but Phasma had some choice words for anyone who suggested she wouldn’t be combat-ready soon enough.

Even from her bed in medical, she had asked - or demanded - that she be kept updated on everything that had happened. When she was ready, she wanted to get right back into her job, and Hux wasn’t going to argue with her.

“I appreciate the visit and the update, General,” Phasma said after he'd informed her of the basics, “but I know there’s something you’re not telling me.” 

“Observant, as always,” Hux said with a sigh. He knew he was the one who had to tell her about the most important news, but he didn’t like thinking about it, much less talking about it. “Snoke’s dead.”

“About time,” Phasma muttered. “And you’ve taken his place?”

“I wish. Unfortunately, Ren beat me to it.” That was the part that he really didn’t want to talk about. He always knew Snoke would be replaced. He’d just always imagined he’d be the one to replace him.

“Kylo Ren?” She made a sound that was probably laughter, but it only sounded like she was in pain. Given the extent of her injuries, Hux wasn’t surprised it hurt to laugh. He was surprised she even seemed up to talking, but he also knew pain would never stop Phasma from anything. “You’re joking, right?”

“I would never joke about such a thing, Captain.” 

“Or anything. So what’s your plan?”

“My plan?” Hux didn’t know what she was talking about. The only plan he’d had for the day was to visit her in addition to his normal duties. He didn’t have much time to do anything else.

“You always have a plan. I assume yours is to eliminate Ren, which is understandable, but I would advise against it.” Of course that’s what she thought he would do. He thought he would too. He’d even had the chance, but he just didn’t take it.

“As would I,” Hux said with a sigh, agreeing with Phasma. “I considered it, but unless the perfect opportunity arises, trying to kill him would only result in my earlier demise. Perhaps if I play nice, he might simply demote me and send me far away instead of killing me.” He knew things wouldn’t end well with Ren as Supreme Leader. Not for the First Order and certainly not for him.

“I don’t think he’ll kill you.”

“Why not? The first thing he did upon taking the title was choke me.” He’d really tried not to think about it too much, but he was fairly certain Ren would end up killing him sooner rather than later. Maybe it wouldn’t even be intentional - he was careless enough with his powers Hux knew it might simply be an accident. Which meant there was very little he could do to preserve his life.

“I’m not surprised,” she said, smiling slightly, “but if he really wanted you dead, why didn’t he just do it then?”

Hux didn’t have an answer for that. He still didn’t understand why he hadn’t been killed that day. Ren was certainly unpredictable, but had Hux been in his position, he would have eliminated him at his first opportunity.

“He needs you,” Phasma pointed out. “He’s not a complete idiot. He knows he can’t run the First Order without you.”

“Until he throws another temper tantrum and I happen to be on the wrong end of his lightsaber.” Hux had spent his entire career protecting himself, moving up in the ranks until no one could touch him. Now, he knew he knew none of that mattered because Kylo Ren had taken over the First Order.

“You might want to consider trying to work with him a little better, but I don’t think you’re in any immediate danger, General.”

“He’s an overly emotional child,” Hux said. “Maybe in his rare moments of rational thought, he sees my value, but he’s ruled by his emotions.”

“If you’re so worried about it, use his emotional nature against him,” Phasma said. “If he feels there’s an emotional connection between the two of you, he won’t want to kill you.”

“Are you suggesting I seduce him, Phasma?” Hux asked after considering her suggestion for a moment.

“I was thinking you should try to become friends with him,” Phasma said. “But your idea just might be better. You should do that.”

Before Hux could respond to that ridiculous idea, his datapad beeped, taking his attention away from her. He frowned when he saw that he had an urgent message, knowing he’d need to return to the bridge soon even though he was off duty. 

“Go,” Phasma said, guessing that the message was important. “I’ll be recovering here for a while longer.”

“I’ll visit as soon as I can,” Hux said, standing up.

“Let me know how your seduction plan goes,” she called after him.

Hux didn’t respond to that. There was no way he was going to try seducing the Supreme Leader.  Maybe Phasma had the right idea about being friendly towards him, or at least trying to establish a better working arrangement, but he definitely would not attempt to seduce Kylo Ren.

\---

Hux couldn’t believe he was going to seduce the Supreme Leader. The more he thought about Phasma’s idea, the more he realized it wasn’t the worst plan in the galaxy. Phasma probably knew Ren better than most, and if she thought it would work, she was most likely right. And if not, it certainly wouldn’t make anything worse. Ren might just laugh when he killed him.

He hadn’t come up with an exact plan to get Ren into his bed, but he couldn’t imagine it would be difficult. Surely, dropping a few hints would do the trick. Hux considered simply telling Ren what he wanted, but he needed Ren to feel like he actually cared, felt something.

When he found Ren, he immediately decided it was not the right time to start dropping hints that he wanted to sleep with him, as the Supreme Leader was currently shouting at Lieutenant Mitaka. Under any other circumstances, Hux would have stopped him, but he needed Ren to feel somewhat less hate-filled than usual and telling him to act like an adult would not help. Mitaka was used to the treatment - and worse - so Hux allowed it to continue, planning on intervening only if it appeared as if Mitaka was in physical danger.

When Ren finally dismissed Mitaka, Hux decided to give him a few minutes to calm down before approaching him. He watched as Ren kicked a console and he questioned his judgement. Maybe it really wasn’t the best idea. Ren was likely to kill him just for making the suggestion. Of course, Ren was likely to kill him just for existing.

“Did you want something, General?” Ren growled. Hux realized he’d been staring at him, and he’d probably picked up on it with his powers.

“I was wondering if you had some time available for a meeting sometime soon,” Hux said. He was certain Ren had nothing scheduled. The man had probably never even looked at a calendar in his life. But it wasn’t the time to antagonize him over his lack of organizational skills. 

“Why don’t you just get it over with now?” 

“Ah, I, um,” Hux couldn’t look at Ren and he felt his cheeks turning red. Ren clearly had no idea what he had just suggested, but Hux couldn’t help but think about what he had planned for their meeting.

“What is it?” Ren asked, stepping forward into Hux’s personal space. Hux looked up at him, very aware of how close he stood and also that he was not an unattractive man. If he hadn’t known him so well before seeing his face, Hux might have considered sleeping with him long ago.

“I’d like to discuss the future of the First Order,” Hux said. “I know the two of us haven’t always gotten along, but I’d like to talk things over with you and see if there’s a way for us to work together.”

Ren didn’t say anything immediately. He just looked at Hux in confusion and he had to repeat what he’d just said to himself to ensure he’d said what he meant to say. Nothing about it should have been confusing, but Ren was clearly having difficulties. Before he could tell him to forget it, Ren nodded.

“I understand,” he said. “How much time will we need?”

“I’m not certain,” Hux replied. “I’ll clear my schedule so we’ll have as much time as you can give me.”

“I can meet with you tomorrow night,” Ren said. “If that works for you.”

“Yes, that’s fine. Would 1900 hours work for you? We can meet in my office.” 

“Okay,” Ren nodded. He walked away, brushing past Hux but without the force he usually used when he bumped him. It was almost gentle, although Hux hesitated to call anything Ren did gentle. It was strange, and Hux wondered if Ren had read his mind and knew what he had planned.

He felt his face heating up once again at the thought of Ren knowing he wanted to sleep with him, but if he did know, he clearly wasn’t opposed to the idea. And it would save Hux the trouble of having to actually say the words. He smiled, glad his plan seemed to be going so smoothly. 

To his surprise, he even found that he was looking forward to their meeting. He’d never really thought of Ren as a potential partner before, but now that he did, he was almost surprised he’d never considered it before. Of course, his terrible personality prevented Hux from ever thinking about it before. But now that he let himself think about Ren in that way, he realized just how attractive he was, even with the scar. And now that his plan was sure to go off without a hitch, he couldn’t help but imagine what he looked like under his robes.

\---

At 1850, Hux made sure everything in his office was perfect. He had a bottle of wine, two glasses, lube, and condoms on his desk. Hopefully if Ren hadn’t read his mind, his intentions would be very obvious. 

Just before 1900, he stood up and made sure his hair and uniform still looked perfect then waited by the door. He felt his heart rate increase, and he tried to calm himself down by telling himself this was far from his first meeting with Ren. It would be just like any other meeting he had with him, only with less clothes and hopefully more pleasurable.

But their scheduled time came and went and Ren hadn’t yet arrived. That was far from unusual with Ren, and many times, he never showed up to meetings he was supposed to be at. He wondered if perhaps he should have sent a meeting reminder. Or maybe Ren had read his mind and was preoccupied laughing at him somewhere.

Hux couldn’t help but run through every scenario he could think of that would cause Ren’s tardiness. Some of the reasons might have been excusable if he had bothered to inform him he was running late, but Hux suspected he had simply forgot. He was about to send him a reminder but as soon as he started to send him a message he stopped. If Ren knew what their meeting was really about, he would appear desperate and he didn’t want that. 

It had been nearly fifteen minutes, and being that late was totally unacceptable. Not unless he happened to take a wrong turn out an airlock. In which case, Hux already had what he wanted, although he really had been looking forward to their meeting. Considering he hadn’t seen the Supreme Leader since he’d scheduled the meeting, he started to think it might be a possibility.

Seeing no point in wasting more of his time, Hux opened a drawer to put things away. He’d still need to talk to Ren, but he didn’t think he’d be in the mood to try seducing him. It was going to be hard enough to not yell at him for neglecting to show up or even inform him that he’d had to cancel the meeting.

He’d just made room in the drawer when the door slid open and Ren walked in. Hux opened his mouth to tell him it was too late and he was heading back to his quarters when he noticed something unusual. He couldn’t remember ever seeing Ren use a datapad before - except maybe to throw one at a wall - but he’d walked into his office holding not one, but three datapads.

“Sorry I’m late,” Ren said, taking a seat on the other side of the desk. “I’ve been doing research and I lost track of time. But at least I can requisition as many datapads as I need as Supreme Leader.”

Hux was at a loss for words. He wouldn’t have thought Ren would know the meaning of the word “requisition” or most words, really. Ren’s language seemed to mostly consist of angry screaming. It took him a moment to realize the rest of what he’d said. Research?

“I’ve looked over all of the numbers for the past two years and looked at some of the proposed campaigns to expand our territory. And our losses from Crait.  And I think we’ll need to hold off on starting any new battles until we can rebuild a bit. Oh, and the budget. Uh, I think we’ll probably have to either find new sources of income or cut back on certain things for a while.”

Hux watched him as he looked between his datapads, never once looking up. He’d often wished Ren would take their budget into consideration, but he’d never imagined it would happen. But now, Ren was right there in front of him, having an actual conversation like a functional adult. Of course, it was all happening right when Hux didn’t want to talk business. He had other goals for the night.

“Here’s some budget cuts I’d like to make, but I thought I’d run them by you first,” he said, sliding one of his datapads across the desk and looking up at him for the first time. Hux realized his mouth was hanging open and he shut it quickly as he took the datapad.

“This looks… good,” Hux said, after glancing over it, surprising himself with those words. He looked it over a second time, thinking there had to be something he’d missed. How could Ren have made such a sensible proposal? But everything he wanted to cut were things they could easily do without. 

“I tried to get everything I thought was unnecessary on the list, but is there anything you think I should add?”

“I…” Hux didn’t want to admit it, but he was entirely unprepared for the conversation. He’d never imagined that Ren of all people would be more prepared to talk about budget issues. “I can’t think of anything off the top of my head. I didn’t actually plan on talking about the budget at this meeting.”

He looked over at the lube still sitting on his desk, wondering if he should move it so it was right in front of Ren. With his focus on his datapads, Hux didn’t think he’d noticed it yet. 

“Right, sorry,” he said. “I thought it would be relevant. Future of the First Order and all. But we can just talk about the plan I came up with for short and long term goals. I’m sure the timeline will change and we might have to abandon some goals, but this is what I came up with as a starting point. I’d like your input, of course.”

He slid another datapad across the desk and although this was far from his goal for the meeting, Hux couldn’t help but look at it. If Ren had said he’d written down goals for the First Order even twenty minutes ago, Hux would have thought that list would include such things as, “throwing tantrums,” “waste time with personal vendettas,” and “make Hux’s life more difficult.” But now, he was genuinely curious to see what Ren had come up with.

Not only had he made some sensible plans, he’d broken things down into one month, three month, six month, and one year goals. Even more shocking, everything in those categories seemed perfectly reasonable for those times. 

“I need some time to think this over,” Hux said, putting the datapad down. It would take him a while to come to terms with the fact that Ren was being rational. “But it does look promising. Of course, Supreme Leader, I really wanted to discuss the two of us. I’m very glad you’ve taken an interest in the budget and military planning, but I’d like the two of us to be able to have a good relationship.”

“Yeah, I thought that this would help,” Ren said, a frown on his face. “I’m not taking your job away by doing this myself, am I? That wasn’t my intention. I just thought if I could talk about this kind of thing with you, I could maybe understand you a little better. I do want to do a good job as Supreme Leader. And I know I’ll need your help. Have I already screwed up?”

“No, Ren,” Hux said, reaching across the table and resting his hand on his. Kylo seemed to jump a little in his seat at the contact. “You’re doing fine. I’m just surprised, is all. This isn’t how I expected this meeting to go.” He glanced once more at the untouched bottle of lube.

“You thought I’d be in here screaming and throwing things?” Ren asked, a grin on his face. “I can do more than just destroy things, you know.”

Some part of Hux knew that Ren could be a capable leader, but he’d so rarely seen that side of him and now that he could see him like that in full force, it was a shock. But, Hux decided, it was definitely a good thing. And he very much wanted to talk budget and tactics and planning with Ren. He was not about to ruin the moment by telling Ren what he really planned for their meeting.

He’d simply have to try again, and there was almost no doubt in his mind that he would. Although he’d been uncertain if it was really what he wanted to do, having an intelligent conversation with Ren somehow made him more attractive. While his main goal was to ensure the security of his position and his life, he realized he also simply wanted to sleep with the Supreme Leader.

 


	2. Chapter 2

With the Supreme Leader actually being somewhat productive, Hux found that he had more time to himself. So when Phasma was getting released from medical, Hux volunteered to help her back to her own quarters where she would finish the rest of her recovery. And that also meant he was among the first to hear the good news -  the doctors now expected her to make a full recovery and return to active duty. Phasma, of course, had known that all along, but Hux was glad that the doctors agreed.

“So,” Phasma said after Hux congratulated her on her release, “how’d things go with the Supreme Leader? Did you sleep with him yet?”

“That’s hardly your business,” he answered, feeling himself blush as he helped her into a wheelchair. He’d already heard Phasma argue that she could walk, but the medical staff was insistent that she use the chair. 

“So you didn’t,” she said. “But you tried, didn’t you? Did he say you’re not his type? He didn’t just kill you, so at least he wasn’t offended by the idea.”

“I never even managed to bring it up,” Hux admitted. As much as he didn’t want to talk about it, he knew Phasma would bother him about it until he did. With her on light and limited duty for the time being, she had very little else to occupy her time. 

“Cold feet?” she asked as he started to push her chair out of medical.

“I had the condoms and lube on my desk,” Hux said, keeping his voice low so no one would overhear him. “I don’t think he even noticed him. For four hours. They were right there and he didn’t notice.” He didn’t realize how bitter he was about that fact until mentioning it to Phasma. But he had arranged things perfectly, or so he’d thought. And of course, Ren had ruined everything as usual.

“On your desk? Please tell me you didn’t try to seduce him in your office.”

“Of course I did,” Hux replied. “It’s not like I was going to invite him to my quarters for a private meeting. I don’t want him thinking I’m desperate to sleep with him. His ego is bad enough as it is.” 

“And what exactly did you do for those four hours if you weren’t seducing him? Stop here.” They had just made it out of medical and into one of the main hallways of the ship where there was no one to stop Phasma from doing what she wanted. Hux stopped the chair and she stood up.

“Believe it or not, we discussed the budget,” Hux said as they started walking. “And short and long term goals for the First Order. Did you know he knows what the word “vitriol” means?”

“He’s not stupid, you know. I’ve told you that before. But you might be when it comes to matters of seduction. Tell me exactly what you said to him when you invited him to your office and what happened when he got there.”

Although he couldn’t remember his exact words, what he told her was close enough. He even made sure that she knew he didn’t even get mad at him for being late. When he’d finished telling her everything, she laughed.

“I don’t see how that’s funny,” Hux grumbled.

“You invited him to your  _ office  _ telling him you wanted to discuss  _ business _ . And you’re surprised he came in prepared to do just that? You know what the funny part is? You’re upset about this. You’re mad that Ren wanted to talk about budgets instead of fucking you!”

“At least keep your voice down!” Hux hissed. Even when she didn’t intend to be loud, her voice carried. The last thing he needed was the entire ship knowing what he was doing. “And I’m not mad about it. In fact, I couldn’t be more pleased that he wants to be an involved leader. It’s highly unexpected, of course. The only thing I’m not happy with is the fact that I had a plan and it didn’t work.”

“That’s no surprise,” Phasma said. “Most people don’t go into what should be a business meeting thinking they’re going to be seduced. Of course his mind wasn’t on that. And he was so busy trying to do a good job, it’s no surprise he didn’t notice the condoms. You need to get him somewhere more casual.”

“I suppose you have a point,” Hux said with a sigh. “Although he is a mind reader. I would have thought my intentions were obvious. If not to most people, _he_ should have picked up on it.”

“Perhaps he’s trying to not invade your privacy,” she suggesting, stopping in front of the door to her quarters.

“That’d be a first from him,” Hux said. “But I suppose I might as well try again. Let me know if you need anything.”

“Good luck,” she said, opening the door and stepping inside. “Let me know how your next date goes.”

The door slid closed before Hux could inform her that he was not trying to date Kylo Ren. His only goal was to sleep with the man and have him form a one-sided attachment. They were not going to become boyfriends. They weren’t even going to be friends. Just a general and a Supreme Leader who hated each other slightly less. 

\---

Hux considered abandoning his goal of getting in the Supreme Leader’s bed until he saw him. Given how well their meeting had gone - even if it hadn’t gone the way he’d wanted - Hux thought it might be possible for them to simply start working together better without trying to get Ren to form an emotional attachment. But when he saw Ren glaring at a console like he was going to attack it with his lightsaber, Hux was reminded of just how moody he could be and he might as well play things safe. And he hated to give up on anything so easily.

He walked over to stand near Ren, but not so close he would be within range of the lightsaber if he did decide to destroy the console. When Ren looked up at him, Hux smiled. Ren’s face went from angry to confused, and Hux stepped closer to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. As soon as he touched him, Ren jumped a bit, but didn’t pull away from him. He only frowned slightly, looking at Hux’s hand.

“Supreme Leader,” he said, keeping his hand where it was for the moment, trying to gauge Ren’s reaction. “I wanted to tell you how much I appreciated our meeting the other night. I think it was valuable for both of us and I’d like to think we’ve taken a step towards a better working relationship.”

“Oh, yeah, me too,” Ren said. Hux slowly moved his hand from his shoulder, running his fingers down to his bicep before finally withdrawing his hand. Ren watched his hand as it moved along his arm, but said nothing about it. Hux wasn’t sure if it was a good sign or not, and decided to keep his hands to himself for the moment. He’d try again later, hopefully when Ren was in a more relaxed mood.

“I was hoping we might be able to spend more time together.”

“I was thinking the same,” he said. “I’ve been going through more of the reports. Some of the more specific ones about -”

“Supreme Leader,” Hux interrupted. As much as he loved the way Ren was taking an interest in the First Order beyond what they could do for him, he had to stop him before they got off topic. Because Hux knew he wouldn’t be able to stop him once he started. “I would definitely like to continue that conversation, however, I was hoping we might not discuss First Order matters.”

Ren didn’t say anything for a few moments and once again, Hux wondered if he might be reading his mind. But if he hadn’t done it before, he suspected that Phasma might have been right and that he had his own reasons for not doing so. 

“Uh, yeah,” he said, sounding unsure of himself. “What did you want to talk about?”

“I actually was hoping we could just talk,” Hux said. “About anything. Personal things.”

“Oh.” Ren shifted away from him a bit, and Hux wondered if he was taking the wrong approach. He never took Ren for the type who liked to talk just to talk. Of course, Hux wasn’t fond talking about personal matters either. 

“I’d like to get to know you,” Hux explained. “We’ve known each other for years and we’ve never just sat down and talked. Casually. About whatever.”

Ren nodded and seemed to relax. “Sorry, I’m just not used to this. But I think I’d like that.”

“Would you be free tonight?” Hux asked, without thinking. As soon as he spoke, he realized that meant he’d only have a few short hours to mentally prepare. 

“I’m the Supreme Leader,” Ren said, slight smile forming on his lips. “I can be free whenever I want to be.”

“I just don’t want to intrude on your personal time,” Hux said. “But if tonight works, would you like to meet me in the officer’s lounge at 1800?”

“I’ll set aside two hours,” Ren replied. 

Hux nodded and left. Although he very rarely left the bridge early, he knew he needed to take some time to relax before he met with Ren. He’d never felt so nervous with a potential partner before, and he decided he didn’t like it. Hopefully, it’d all be over soon enough.

\---

Because he didn’t think Ren would manage to be on time and it was supposed to be casual, Hux almost arrived late intentionally. But when it came down to it, he couldn’t stand the thought of not being at least ten minutes early. He ordered a drink and sat down, fully expecting to wait for a while before Ren arrived. To his surprise, Ren arrived a full minute and a half before 1800. 

He frowned when he saw he had a datapad in hand, knowing he’d made it perfectly clear that it was a personal meeting. If he tried to discuss business, Hux told himself he’d just have to not join in. And if things went as he planned, they wouldn’t spend that much time talking in the first place.

When he sat down and placed his datapad on the table, Hux couldn’t help but glance at it, but the screen was off. Maybe he’d just taken to carrying one around. He smiled and opened his mouth to speak, but quickly realized he hadn’t planned out what he was going to say. Before he could figure it out, a serving droid came over and took Ren’s drink order, giving Hux a moment to think.

It didn’t take long for him to remember his original plan. His first attempt hadn’t failed because it was a bad plan, but because Ren had distracted him with talks of budgets and tactics. There was no reason that same plan shouldn’t work as long as he had Ren’s attention focused on him and not a pile of datapads.

“I like your eyes,” Hux said. That was his original plan - say nice things about Ren and make him feel good about himself.

“What?” Ren looked almost startled, and Hux thought perhaps it had been too much. Maybe he should have started off with something a bit more subtle.

“I, uh, I’ve just noticed them a lot more,” he explained himself. “Now that you’re not wearing that helmet everywhere. I’d never noticed before how pretty your eyes are.” He was glad he’d decided to use a feature he actually did like instead of lying. Although the more he looked at Ren, the more he realized there was nothing about his physical appearance he didn’t appreciate. 

“Oh, um. Thanks.” He looked down at the table and then grabbed his datapad and brought it down into his lap. After a short while, he’d placed it back on the table. Before either of them could say anything, the droid returned with a tall glass filled with a nearly black liquid. Ren sipped at it, then put it back down and stared at it.

“I’m glad you’re exempt from regulations regarding hair length,” Hux said, needing to say anything to fill the awkward silence. “It’d be a shame for you to cut it off. I imagine it must take quite some time to take care of, however. And it looks very well taken care of. I think -”

“I’m sorry,” Ren said suddenly. Hux fell silent, hoping he hadn’t come on too strong. He waited for Ren to speak, imagining the worst case scenario. Although he didn’t imagine he would have started with an apology if he was getting ready to throw a tantrum.

“I know I’ve been pretty horrible to you in the past,” he said, his hands playing with his glass, but he finally looked up at him. “I don’t expect you to believe me. Or forgive me. But I really am sorry about, well, everything, really.”

“I wasn’t much better,” Hux replied. “It wasn’t as if I didn’t  take every chance to make your life more difficult. I’d like to think it wasn’t really our fault. Snoke did foster that competition between us. I’m sure he didn’t like the idea of us working together. Because I think we would be good together if we give ourselves a chance.”

He’d never imagined Ren apologizing for his behavior, and he certainly never expected to be willing to take some of the blame for their negative attitude towards each other. But being angry and bitter about the past wouldn’t help him achieve his goal. And if his goal went as planned, that kind of treatment would hopefully remain in the past.

“I guess you’re right,” Ren muttered. He took another sip of his drink and picked up his datapad once again. Just like before, he turned the screen off before putting it back down. “But I wasn’t any better even after Snoke was dead. I’m actually surprised you wanted to be in a room with me after all that.”

“I didn’t,” Hux said. “Not immediately after, anyway. But the bruises faded and it’s not like there was much choice about working with you. You’ve definitely been better, too, since Crait. I know that was an emotional time for you, and I think I can forgive you.”

Hux smiled, a little surprised to realize he wasn’t lying to Ren. He hadn’t really thought much about how Ren had choked him or thrown him around with the Force - he didn’t have time to think about it - but now that he did, he found he really didn’t hold it against him. When Ren looked at him, he also had a slight smile on his lips. He wanted to reach across the table and touch those lips with his fingers, followed by his own lips.

“Thanks, Hux,” he said. “That means a lot to me, you know. Actually, I was a little worried that you were going to try to assassinate me.”

“That’s not what I want at all,” Hux said, reaching out and placing his hand on top of his. He flinched, but didn’t pull his hand away. “I really do believe that we can work well together. That’s why I wanted to simply talk to you and get to know you better.”

“Um, yeah,” he said, looking like he might bolt for the door any second. His free hand reached out for his datapad once again and when he turned it on, Hux gently grabbed his wrist before he could pull the device away.

“What are you looking at?” Hux asked, curious. He put his hand on the datapad but didn’t try to pull it away. If Ren really didn’t want to let him see, he wouldn’t force the issue, but Ren made no move to get it away from him and Hux pulled it towards himself.

He didn’t know what he expected, but a list of tips on how to make friends was certainly not it. After glancing it over quickly, he slid the datapad back across the table. Hux had no idea what to say, and apparently, neither did Ren. Once again, Ren wouldn’t even look up at him. 

“I’m not good at this,” Ren eventually muttered.

“Good at what?”

“This,” he said, finally looking up and waving his hand in front of him. “Talking. Being social. I wasn’t really sure what to do here. I haven’t had a friend since I was a child.”

“You’ve got an advantage over me there,” Hux said. “I didn’t even have friends as a kid. I don’t think I had a friend until I was a major, and I couldn’t tell you how I managed that. I’d never even thought about finding a guide on making friends.” Of course, he’d never had much desire to make friends, but he didn’t need to tell Ren that. 

“I know it’s stupid,” he said quietly. “But I wanted things to go well. Last time I had a friend, it ended pretty badly. I just wanted things to go better with us.”

“What happened?” Hux asked without meaning too. He wasn’t supposed to care about Ren’s past, but the question just came out.

Instead of the short answer Hux expected, Ren launched into a story about a boy he’d known but lost contact with when he’d started his Jedi training and the boy went off to the New Republic’s flight school. Hux knew enough about Ren’s past to guess why they hadn’t remained friends, but he was surprised to learn his childhood friend was the Resistance pilot they had captured on Jakku.

Hux had a few more questions, and Ren had some of his own. As much as Hux didn’t want to talk about most things in his past, he found himself surprisingly relaxed with the Supreme Leader and he told him things he’d never imagined talking about.

Finally, while he was finishing his third drink, he remembered his objective. Although talking with Ren had likely given him some valuable information, that wasn’t why he was there. And now that Ren seemed more at ease thanks either to their conversation or the alcohol, it was the perfect time to make the suggestion.

“I’m really glad we did this,” Hux said, once again reaching out to touch him. He’d done that several times during their conversation, hoping Ren might do the same. While so far, he hadn’t initiated any contact, he’d at least stopped flinching as much. “But I was thinking it might be nice to continue this somewhere a little more private. We could go to my quarters, if you’d like.”

Hux glanced around the lounge and realized they already had quite a bit of privacy. There hadn’t been many people there when Hux first arrived, and they’d started clearing out when Ren arrived. Which was typical - anytime Ren showed up, everyone who had the option to leave did so. 

“Yeah,” Ren said, smiling. He’d been doing that a lot while they talked and Hux had decided he liked Ren’s smile. It was even more special because Hux knew he was likely one of the few people who had ever seen that. “We could do that if you’d like.”

He finished off his drink - only his second - and stood up. Hux did the same, taking hold of Ren’s hand and trying not to imagine what else Ren would soon be touching with that hand. They looked at each other for a moment and Hux thought about kissing him. He very much wanted to lean forward and taste his lips, but before he could build up the nerve to do so, Ren looked at his datapad and pulled his hand away.

“Is something wrong?” Hux asked, stepping to stand closer to him.

“The time,” Ren said. “We’ve been talking for well over two hours. I didn’t mean to take up that much of your time. I know you’re busy.”

“I am, but I certainly have time for you.” Hux put a hand on his shoulder and waited for Ren to relax before moving again. He stepped closer to him so they were nearly pressed against each other and slid his arm around his back. He didn’t want to fail again, not when he was so close. All he needed to do was get Ren to his quarters.

“You don’t have to say that just because I’m the Supreme Leader,” Ren said. He put an arm around him, hugged him for a moment and then let go. Hux did the same, not wanting to cling to him. He didn’t want Ren thinking him desperate. “We’ll have to do this again sometime. I’m glad we’re friends instead of working against each other.”

He left before Hux could insist that he stay, and Hux just watched him go, wondering how he possibly could have missed every single signal Hux had given him. Maybe it really had been too long since Ren had friends and he didn’t realize that simple friends didn’t touch each other the way Hux had done. Or maybe that was what they did in the New Republic.

Either way, Hux needed another drink and a new plan.


	3. Chapter 3

“Maybe he’s not completely stupid,” Hux said while watching Phasma do push ups, “but he is certainly dense.” 

He’d recounted his entire evening to Phasma while she did what, for her, was a very easy workout routine. Even at his best, Hux knew he’d struggle to complete that workout. In fact, the only other person  that could probably keep up with Phasma was Ren. Hux wondered - and not for the first time - just what he looked like under his robes. If Phasma was anything to judge by, he was probably very well built, but he was starting to think he might never have the chance to find out.

“Well, I suppose he just doesn’t have all that much experience with this sort of thing,” Phasma said, standing up. She grabbed a towel to wipe off some excess sweat and leaned back against a wall. “But at least you’re not to blame this time.”

“Any more advice, Phasma? If that went over his head, I’m not sure what would get the point across. Perhaps a written invitation to my bed? Or maybe he’d just think I want to have a sleepover.”

“Sounds cute,” Phasma said with a smile. She grabbed a glass of water and drank the entire thing. “But I don’t think you really need to do anything else.”

“Really? Because he has no idea that I want to sleep with him.”

“Exactly. And that doesn’t matter anymore. Why were you doing all this in the first place?”

“So he’ll like me enough so he won’t be tempted to kill me,” Hux said, and as soon as he spoke, he realized the point that Phasma was making. “I suppose if we’re friends, that goal has probably been accomplished.”

“And you didn’t even have to sleep with him.”

“Yes, but,” Hux started to object, but he hadn’t quite come up with any good reason why he should continue to pursue Kylo Ren. At least nothing he’d admit to Phasma.

“But what?” Phasma asked with a grin.

“I set a very specific goal and I’d like to see it through. Even if my position and life are likely safe, it still feels like I’m abandoning a goal because it was more difficult than anticipated.”

“Sounds to me like you just want to sleep with him.”

“That’s ridiculous, Phasma. I just want to finish what I set out to do.” She was right, of course. He’d already accomplished what he needed to do, just in a different way than he had anticipated. But in the process of getting to know Ren, Hux had found that he really did want to sleep with Ren, even if he didn’t have to. Ever since he saw Ren holding three datapads and working, he'd wanted him.

“You can admit it,” she said. “It’s not like I’m going to tell anyone that you’ve got a thing for the Supreme Leader.”

“I do not -” Hux realized he was raising his voice and he took a moment to breath and calm down. “It’s not that I want him. It’s just that he’s presented me with something of a challenge. He has been rather resistant to my efforts, and I’d like to see just what it takes.”

“So you’re still going to sleep with him.”

“I’m going to try. For the challenge.” He and Phasma looked at each other and he had the feeling that she didn’t quite believe him, but she didn’t say anything else about it. “So, do you have any ideas? You know him better than anyone else.”

“That may be, but that doesn’t mean we talk about his love life. If I had to guess, you just have to make it obvious to him. Maybe even just tell him what you want.”

“Where’s the challenge in that?” 

“Yes. The challenge. Because that’s all you’re interested in.”

“Exactly,” Hux lied. “Of course.”

\---

Hux never could have imagined being disappointed to have a bridge free of Kylo Ren. If he ever needed him and couldn’t find him, it was irritating, but usually, he enjoyed not having him around. Now, however, Hux found himself hoping to see him stomp onto the bridge.

By the end of his shift, he’d yet to make an appearance, which meant Hux could either send him a message or try to find him. He had no idea what Ren did with himself when he wasn’t destroying things, and as he hadn’t been doing that lately, his whereabouts remained a mystery. As much as he didn’t like the idea of letting Ren know he was looking for him, trying to search the entire ship would be a waste of time.

After sending him a message asking him just where he was, Hux prepared to wait, thinking he might take a little while for him to respond. When he’d first met his then co-commander, he’d tried sending messages to him like he would anyone else on the ship but he never received a response. Now that Hux knew he was using his datapad - and that he had multiple datapads - he thought he might finally respond.

Still, he was certain that his excuses that he’d used before for not responding to his messages still applied. Just because he was the Supreme Leader and spent time doing actual work didn’t mean he would abandon his meditation and training. He might just have to wait until he finished whatever it was he was doing before he responded. To his surprise, he received a reply quickly, and even more surprising were the contents of the message. Ren simply said he was in his office.

Hux knew he’d had an office, although he couldn’t ever recall Ren using it for anything. In fact, he’d never even been to his office and it took him a moment to remember where it was. As he approached the door, it slid open. Hux didn’t know what he expected to find, but seeing Kylo Ren sitting at his desk reading was not it. Had he walked in to find him sitting among the remains of his latest tantrum, he would have been far less shocked. Although given how responsible he'd been, perhaps Hux should have expected such a thing.

“Supreme Leader,” he said as he stepped over to the desk. “What are you doing?”

“What’s it look like?” he asked without looking up. “I have all kinds of reports to read, schedules to plan, and just way too much reading to do. I have no idea how you do all this.”

“Many years of practice and not enough sleep,” Hux said as he moved to stand behind him. Even though Ren said he was reading reports, it was still a shock to see that was really what he was doing. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but maybe you should do a little less? Get yourself used to this gradually?”

“You want me to do less work?” Ren glanced up at him, but he quickly turned his attention back to the report. “Are you feeling sick?”

“Well, seeing as how we’re friends, I feel like I should at least try to look out for your well-being. I don’t want you to get too stressed. Of course, I have some ideas about stress relief too.”

He touched Ren on the shoulder and he tensed, but didn’t push Hux away. Slowly, he started to apply some light pressure to his shoulder, and when he didn’t tell him to stop, or shove him away with the Force, he put his other hand on him. He continued to rub his shoulders while Ren read.

“You’re really tense,” Hux said. “You need to spend some more time relaxing.”

“You don’t like my normal method of relaxing,” Ren muttered. “And I already tried that earlier. Didn’t really help.”

Hux suppressed a groan. If that meant what he thought it meant, then Ren had destroyed something with his lightsaber. Hopefully, it was nothing too expensive. And in the long run, Hux knew things were looking better. At least Ren wasn’t destroying things and also leaving him with all the paperwork.

“If you need some help find other ways to relax, I think I can help you out. I can give you a much better massage if you had your robes off. You can just come by my quarters later on and I can show you.”

Silence hung in the room. Hux continued to massage Ren’s shoulder while waiting for a reply, but he remained silent. At first, he worried that he’d scared Ren with his suggestion, but he saw that Ren was still scrolling on his datapad.

“Ren?” he asked, hands going still on his shoulders.

“Hmm? Did you say something?”

Hux sighed. Of course he’d been distracted right when he’d made his offer. But because he was distracted with actual work - work that he’d have to do if Ren neglected it - he couldn’t even be upset. The one time that Hux wanted him not focused on his job and Ren could think of nothing else.

“I was just thinking you should come by my quarters tonight if you’re free,” Hux said, starting to rub his shoulders again. He decided he didn’t want to repeat his earlier offer, just in case Ren was messing with him.

“Can’t tonight,” Ren said, reaching for a different datapad. Hux saw him pulling up his schedule and saw that it was surprisingly full. And it wasn’t filled with activities such as “crying in front of Darth Vader’s mask” or “screaming at troopers.” Although, Hux thought, he probably just did those things when he felt the need and wouldn’t schedule them. 

“I’ve got a meeting tonight,” Ren said as he went through the schedule. “Looks like I have a bit of free time tomorrow, but it’s during your bridge shift. I’m pretty busy, but I can move some things around and make some time for you in two days.”

“Sounds good,” Hux said taking note of the time Ren scheduled him for, still having a hard time believing Kylo Ren had a calendar filled with meetings and report reading. “I suppose I may not see you until then. Good luck. And try to find at least a little time to relax.”

Ren nodded and gave a little grunt of acknowledgement as he started back in on his reports. Hux patted him on the shoulder and left, still completely shocked at Ren’s sudden burst of responsibility.

\---

As their scheduled time grew closer, Hux got everything ready. He had to make sure Ren knew exactly what his intentions were as soon as he walked in the door.  There could be nothing in sight that might distract the Supreme Leader, and Hux was determined to not let Ren talk about anything work related so he didn’t get distracted.

Hux already poured two glasses of wine so he could immediately get some alcohol into Ren. And of course, the most important part of Hux’s plan was himself. He’d changed out of his uniform and put on his bathrobe. He was still debating whether or not he should take off the shorts he had on underneath. He wished he had something a bit fancier than regulation First Order underwear, but he’d never needed anything of the sort before. But if things went well with Ren, maybe he’d have to get something nicer to look at.

He told himself to stop worrying about what was under his robe and he sat down on his sofa with his datapad. If he distracted himself, he wouldn’t have to think about things until Ren arrived. And he’d likely be late, so he might as well get some work done.

There was a knock on the door right at their scheduled time and Hux jumped up. He’d thought he’d be at least ten minutes late, but perhaps he should have known better. Ren had been making an effort to actually be a decent person, after all. He took a few deep breaths, before walking over to open the door, wine glass in hand.

As soon as the door opened, he held the glass out to him. He reached out and took it and looked down at it with confusion. It wasn’t the ideal reaction - and he hadn’t even seemed to notice Hux - but at least he was still there.

“Come in,” Hux said. “Sit down.” He touched him lightly on the arm, once again noticing that he flinched, just like he always did. But just like always, he seemed to relax and allow the touch.

Hux walked him over to the sofa and they sat down. He picked up his own wine glass and scooted closer to Ren so that their knees were touching. “I wasn’t entirely sure if you liked wine,” Hux said, noticing that he was still paying far more attention to the glass than him. “If you don’t like it, I can get you something else.”

“No, no,” he said quickly, glancing up at him. “It’s fine. I just… I wasn’t sure what to expect when I came here.”

Ren took a sip of his wine and Hux did the same. Curious, Hux reached out and touched Ren’s hand. Just like he expected, he started to pull his hand away. At least he calmed down quickly, because Hux planned on touching far more than just his hand.

“Do you not like being touched?” Hux asked, almost dreading the answer. If Ren really was touch averse, it might make his goal completely unattainable. “I can stop.”

“No,” Ren said quickly. “I… I like it. It’s just that… well, I’m not used to being touched. Not like this anyway. Usually there’s pain involved. This is nice.”

“Ren,” Hux said softly. He didn’t know what to say and he almost felt bad for what he was doing with him. Ren seemed so genuine and vulnerable and Hux was treating it like a game. He almost confessed why he had started being so much nicer to him, but he knew that telling him would hurt him and Hux didn’t want to do that to him, not when they were finally getting along.

He might have pursued Ren initially simply to secure his position, but if he was being honest with himself, he knew it was more than that now. Every time he saw him working, Hux wanted him more. And now, Hux wasn’t entirely certain what he felt towards Ren, but he did know he didn’t want to cause him pain.

“I won’t hurt you,” Hux found himself saying, hoping that would remain true. “I promise.”

“I deserve it,” Ren muttered, as he gulped the rest of his wine. “But thanks, Hux. Or should I call you Armitage?”

“Whatever you like,” Hux said, finishing his glass of wine and setting it down on the table.  “Would you like more wine?”

He stood up to retrieve the wine bottle but before he could take more than a single step, a hand on his wrist stopped him. When he looked down, Ren was holding onto him and for the first time, he finally seemed to notice him. And that meant Hux had him right where he needed him.

Forgetting about getting more wine, Hux sat back down next to him. He knew he needed to do something - touch him, kiss him, anything - but he froze. Ren was staring at him and he couldn’t make himself move. In the end, it was Ren who made the move, reaching up to touch his neck. Finally able to move once again, Hux put a hand on his chest while Ren lightly pulled at his robe.

“What are you wearing?” Ren asked.

“I thought you were familiar with robes,” Hux said. Once the words were out of his mouth, he regretted them. He definitely should have had something better prepared. He knew this was coming, and he couldn’t believe he hadn’t even known what he was going to say.

“No, but why are you wearing it?”

“It’s far easier to take off than my uniform,” he said, leaning in closer, those soft lips just begging to be kissed. 

“Oh,” Ren said. He stood up and then pulled Hux to his feet. “You should have said something.”

For a brief moment, they stood against each other and Hux could feel the warmth radiating from his body. He leaned his head forward to rest it against Ren’s neck and was just about to put his arms around him when he moved.

“Come on, Hux,” he said. Ren held onto him as they walked into the bedroom. Hux tried touching him while they walked, but he didn’t seem interested at all in anything besides getting him to bed. 

Although Hux was glad he was enthusiastic about things, he really had hoped they’d take their time. It wasn’t something he wanted to rush. But perhaps that’s the way Ren liked to do things. Hopefully, he was just rushing to get him into bed and then they’d slow things down. Hux at least wanted to kiss him first. And touch him. 

He’d seen a different side of Ren recently, but when he imagined what he was like in bed, he could only think of the old Ren, and that he’d be quick and rough. He’d at least have to make him slow down enough to let him get prepared, because although he was willing to let Ren do quite a bit, he wanted a little more than just being thrown onto the bed and fucked.

Before they made it to the bed, the sheets flew back on their own and it took Hux a second to realize Ren had done that with the Force. Ren started to untie the knot that held his robe closed and then Hux allowed him to lay him down on the bed. His stomach fluttered as they looked at each other for what felt like forever.

He’d thought he’d been ready, but now that the moment was there, he couldn’t help but feel nervous and he wasn’t sure if it would be wise to risk angering Ren by asking him to slow down. At the same time, Hux wanted to get it over with quickly. It’d probably be best that way. Less time to think about things. He reached for the waistband of his shorts, ready to remove them, but then, Ren pulled his blankets over him.

“What are you doing?” Hux asked, sitting up. 

“Making sure my best general gets some sleep,” Ren said, pushing him back down. “You should have told me you were that tired, Hux. We could have done this another time.”

“I’m not tired,” Hux said, trying to sit up again. That was a lie, of course. He was always tired but it wasn’t as if he was any more tired than usual. And he definitely was not wanting to sleep right then. Not when his goal was so close.

“Hux, you were literally falling asleep on me. It’s okay. I don’t think  any less of you because you need to sleep. We’ll find some other time to talk, okay?”

“You thought I was falling asleep on you?” Hux groaned and stopped trying to sit up. He had no idea how Kylo could be so blind to what he was trying to do. He’d opened the door in a bathrobe with a glass of wine and he couldn’t keep his hands off of him. And Ren still seemed completely oblivious. Even if he was a complete idiot, he should have figured it out. Unless, of course, it was all an elaborate act.

“Ren, have you been talking to Phasma lately?”

“A little bit. Do you need anything?”

“Did she put you up to this?”

“No,” he said. He walked away and Hux sat up again now that he wasn’t holding him down, but before he could get up and put his robe back on, Ren had returned with a glass of water. “I guess she’s mentioned that you should try getting more sleep. But it’s not like she told me I should make sure of it. I didn’t even think of it until you mentioned it. But obviously, if Phasma’s noticed you’re sleep deprived as well, you need to get more sleep.”

He pressed the water glass into his hand, much as Hux had done earlier with the wine. It was a nice gesture, so Hux took it and drank the water. Once he’d finished, Ren took the glass and gently pushed him back down and pulled the blankets back over him.

“Uh, this might be weird,” Ren said, no longer looking at him. He seemed a little uncomfortable, and Hux thought that maybe he had picked up on his hints. “Um, if you’re having trouble sleeping, I can help you. With the Force.”

“Are you serious?” Hux couldn’t suppress a groan. Every time he’d thought he had Ren where he wanted him, Ren went a completely different direction.

“It doesn’t hurt or anything,” Ren assured him quickly. “And we don’t have to do it now. But if you want to. Sometime. You can think about it and if you want to try it, just let me know. I just want to do what’s best for you, okay?”

Ren finally made eye contact again and he smiled. He reached down and brushed a strand of hair away from his face. Hux grabbed his hand before he could pull it away. This was far from the goal he’d set out to achieve, but he couldn’t deny that it was nice. He’d never had anyone try to take care of him before, and he found he liked it. He just couldn’t believe it was Kylo Ren taking care of him.

“Thanks. Kylo.” He smiled and released his hand. He watched him walk away, knowing he’d need a much more obvious plan if he wanted to sleep with Ren. But maybe a decent night’s sleep was just what he needed.

“Good night, General,” Ren said before turning off the lights.


	4. Chapter 4

Kylo dodged a fist and then jumped back to avoid a kick, which still managed to connect with his side, but he at least lessened the strength of the blow. He moved out of the way of the next two attacks then blocked and pressed his own attack. He was faster and for the moment, he might have been just a bit stronger, but when one of his strikes went through his opponent’s defenses, he pulled back.

That gave Phasma an opening to hit him in the chest with her elbow and knock him a few steps backwards, and once again, Kylo found himself on the defensive.

“I told you not to hold back,” Phasma said as he narrowly missed a fist aimed at his head. 

“You’re still recovering,” Kylo said, dodging another strike and trying to land one of his own. “Wouldn’t want this to be over too soon.”

“Why not? That’s usually my problem with you.” Phasma hit him in the abdomen while kicking his legs out from under him. “You’ve never lasted long against me.”

Kylo rolled away before she could land another blow, which very well could have finished their match. He almost argued with her, as there had been plenty of times he’d beaten her in a fair fight, but he realized she was trying to distract him.

As he got back on his feet he dodged and blocked Phasma’s flurry of strikes. Clearly, she wanted to finish it and Kylo could help. He stopped defending and managed to land a few blows. Because he knew she was still recovering, he wasn’t willing to go all out, despite what Phasma told him. Instead of knocking her down by any means necessary, he got her in a headlock and pushed her down, cushioning her landing with the Force.

“Cheater,” she growled.

“Just making sure you don’t hurt yourself,” Kylo said, releasing her and standing up. Phasma remained down and Kylo almost offered her a hand to help her up, but he knew she’d simply pull him down if he did that. “Had enough?”

“For now,” Phasma said, standing up on her own. “We’ll need to do a rematch in about a week. But only if you can actually give me everything you’ve got and stop holding back.”

“Hux would kill me if I did anything to delay your recovery,” Kylo said. “Besides, I’ve got to hold back or you won’t stand a chance.”

Phasma rolled her eyes and punched him lightly in the shoulder. Of course, lightly for Phasma meant that it would only leave a small bruise. “Speaking of Hux,” she said, “do you think he’s been acting strange lately?”

“I don’t think so,” Kylo said, trying to think about his general’s recent behavior. Nothing in particular struck him as strange. “I mean, there was the whole thing where he said he wanted to be friends. Which I guess is strange for him. But other than that, he seems like his normal self.”

“He wants to be friends, does he?” she asked, sounding amused. “Do you think he might want anything else?”

“That’s what I was thinking at first,” Kylo said with a shrug. “But I really don’t think he’s trying to kill me. Unless maybe he’s trying to be my friend so I’ll let my guard down and he can kill me.”

Kylo hadn’t really thought about it that way before, but if Phasma was asking about it, he had to wonder if maybe she knew something he didn’t. He wouldn’t put it past Hux to do just that, but he also really hoped it wasn’t true. Apparently, he’d really looked forward to having a friend because he could feel his heart breaking when he thought about what was likely the truth. He knew all about Hux’s past and how he’d risen through the ranks. That wasn’t a man who made friends.

“Supreme Leader?” Phasma asked. “Kylo? Are you feeling all right?”

“I’m fine, Phasma,” he said, unable to stop thinking about what Hux might be planning. 

“Have you considered Hux wants to do something besides murder?” Phasma asked.

Kylo thought about it, wondering what other potential motives he might have, but he really couldn’t think of what else he might be planning. “Um, do you think Hux is plotting something?”

“He always is, although this time, I think it’s safe to say it doesn’t involve assassination.”

\---

Despite Phasma’s reassurance, Kylo couldn’t help but wonder just what Hux was up to. She hadn’t raised the question of his behavior for no reason at all and she seemed to think there was some other reason he’d extended the offer of friendship. But he couldn’t imagine just what that reason would be if not murder.

At least the Force would warn him of any immediate danger, so he could at least spend some time with him and see if he could figure it out. Part of him thought that it would take no time at all to learn what Hux was doing - he only had to read his mind and he’d know all he needed to.  Maybe he was just desperate to have a friend, but he couldn’t bring himself to do that. Just in case Hux really did want to be friends. He’d hate to ruin their new friendship because he was paranoid.

He didn’t really have a plan when he came to the bridge during Hux’s shift. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. At least, not until Hux noticed him watching him. He smiled as he headed towards him and Kylo watched him to make sure he wasn’t about to reach for his blaster. Smiling was definitely something new. Before becoming the Supreme Leader, Kylo couldn’t recall Hux ever smiling. But he definitely had been doing so more frequently, but he hadn’t realized how strange it was until Phasma pointed it out.

“Kylo,” he said as he came to stand in front of him. “I wasn’t expecting you to be here.”

“Did you want me to leave?” he asked without thinking. He’d planned on observing Hux for the majority of his shift in order to learn if he was plotting anything. He couldn’t just leave because Hux asked him to.

“Of course not,” Hux said, reaching over to touch his elbow and he felt himself flinch at the contact.  “I’m glad you’re here. We don’t get nearly as much time together as I’d like. Of course, I can’t give you nearly as much attention as I’d like, but at least you’re here.”   


Hux had moved his hand down his arm and lightly took his hand. Kylo glanced down at their hands and realized that too was a strange behavior for him. He’d definitely noticed him doing that as he couldn’t help the nervous reaction every time he touched him, but he hadn’t really thought much of it. Before Phasma planted the idea of betrayal in his mind, he’d thought Hux was simply being friendly.

Now that he thought about possible ulterior motives, he realized that Hux might simply be trying to get him to lower his guard. Trusting the Force to give him enough warning if Hux suddenly pulled a knife on him, Kylo left his hand where it was. Even if Hux ended up betraying him, it was nice to have at least a fake friend.

“I probably should have asked,” Hux said as he walked back to his post with Kylo’s hand still in his, “but did you need something? I shouldn’t have made assumptions.”

“Oh,” Kylo said, still surprised by his display of affection. Especially since he was doing so in front of his men. But he needed a reason to be on the bridge, because he couldn’t tell him what he was really doing. “I thought I should see how you operate on a regular day. Just so I know more about day to day operations.”

Hux squeezed his hand and turned to face him once more. “You have no idea how glad I am to hear you say that,” Hux said. “It’s going to be nice to have a Supreme Leader that actually cares about the smaller things as well.”

“Yeah,” Kylo said, realizing he was now going to have to actually learn about normal bridge activities. He didn’t have to, of course. But now that he knew that’s what Hux wanted, he wanted to make that a reality. “Not that I’m complaining, but do you usually hold hands on the bridge?”   


“No,” he said with a smile, finally letting go. “I was just really glad to see you.”

Kylo listened as Hux explained mundane tasks and did his best to appear interested, but he was far more interested in Hux himself. At no point  did he feel like he was in danger and he didn’t sense anything strange from Hux in the Force. Although Kylo did think he felt happy, which was something he was not familiar with coming from Hux. 

Maybe Phasma was wrong. She did seem fairly certain that Hux wasn’t plotting against him, but Kylo couldn’t imagine any other thing that Hux might be doing that would change his behavior, because it was certainly different. He was smiling and touching him whenever he had a chance, but Kylo couldn’t understand what he hoped to gain from it.

“Hux, are you feeling okay?” he asked eventually.

“Of course,” Hux said. “Especially after you insisted that I get a full night’s sleep. I can’t remember the last time I’ve felt so well rested.”

“That was almost a week ago,” Kylo pointed out, but he then realized that Hux was likely so sleep deprived that he probably still felt much better than he usually did.

“Well, I’m always open to more suggestions about my sleep habits,” Hux said, brushing against him as he walked past. “Or orders.”

“Yeah, um.” Kylo wasn’t sure what to say to that. But maybe getting more sleep, even if just once a week, was putting Hux in a better mood. Maybe that’s why he was smiling and feeling happy. “I should probably take some time to meditate.”

“Of course,” Hux said. “I’d like to see you again when you have some time. Preferably when I’m not on shift.”

Kylo only nodded, not sure what to make of Hux’s behavior. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe Phasma mentioning it simply made him paranoid and there was absolutely nothing for him to worry about. But spending time in meditation might shed some light on Hux’s true motives.

\---

Even deep in meditation, Kylo sensed no deceit or impending betrayal from Hux. Either there was nothing for him to worry about or Hux had no immediate plans to take his title or life. Kylo decided he would simply forget what Phasma had said and carry on as Hux’s friend. It felt genuine enough, and if Hux did end up attempting to kill him… Kylo decided he didn’t even want to think about it.

He decided to read some reports to get his mind off of Hux. It didn’t help much because Hux was the only reason he’d started reading reports in the first place. He’d been so desperate to prove to him that he could be the Supreme Leader and then he’d seemed so impressed that he’d continued. As much as he hated such boring work, it was worth it to get Hux’s approval. And likely his friendship. Kylo realized that Hux had only wanted to become friends after that first meeting they had.

While working through one particularly boring report, his door chimed. He sensed Hux’s presence and he opened the door using the Force without thinking about it, momentarily forgetting that he was trying to not think of Hux. That was no longer an option as the man walked across his living room to stand in front of where he sat on his couch.

“Let me finish reading this,” Kylo said, barely glancing at him. He didn’t get much further as his attention was pulled away by Hux’s movement. He watched from the corner of his eye as he removed his greatcoat, which he quickly folded and put over the back of a chair.

Kylo looked up at him and was about to ask why he was taking his clothes off when Hux suddenly stepped right up to him and sat down on his lap. Kylo didn’t have time to process what Hux had done before he put his hands behind his head and pulled him in and kissed him.

When he finally overcame the shock, he put his hands on Hux’s shoulders and pushed him away. “What are you doing?”

“Seriously? You haven’t figured it out?” Hux shifted so he was straddling him.

“I don’t understand,” Kylo said, while Hux pressed his hips against his abdomen. It took him a moment, but the realization slowly dawned on him.

“I’ve been trying to have sex with you,” Hux said before Kylo could fully process what Hux was doing.

Kylo didn’t know what to say to that. Now that he said it out loud, Kylo realized it made sense, but it was the last thing he would have expected from him. That must have been why Hux had been touching him while they were on the bridge. Maybe it went back further than that. He tried to remember the first time Hux had touched him, but couldn’t quite remember. It had definitely been recent, though.

Hux stood up, face red, and started to walk away and Kylo realized that he’d just been staring at him and hadn’t said anything. Before he could get too far, Kylo grabbed him and pulled him back down on the couch next to him.

“Sorry,” he said, still having trouble believing that’s what Hux’s plan had been. “I didn’t know. That you. Um. Thought about me like that? You really wanted to do that? With me?”

“Yes, Ren,” Hux said, not making eye contact with him.

“Why?” Kylo blurted out. That wasn’t what he’d meant to say. He wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to say, however. He still had trouble wrapping his mind around the idea.

“I don’t know,” Hux said with a sigh. “Well, I do know. It was Phasma’s idea, actually. She suggested that I should sleep with you so you’d be less inclined to dispose of me.”

“Oh.” Kylo looked away from Hux and down at his feet. He didn’t know what he’d expected and he really wasn’t surprised by his admission. But it was somewhat depressing to know Hux hadn’t wanted him, hadn’t actually liked him. Although he wasn’t quite sure why he cared. 

“That’s just the way it started,” Hux assured him. He put a hand on his shoulder and Kylo nearly jumped at the contact. Part of him wanted to push Hux away, but he also really liked being touched, so he left his hand where it was. “Once I got to know you, I really did start to like you. It was endlessly frustrating that you didn’t notice my advances, but I also enjoyed getting to know you.”

“Wait,” Kylo said looking back at him. “How… how long has this been going on for?” He suspected he didn’t really want to know the answer, but he also couldn’t stand not knowing. If Hux didn’t tell him, he knew that he’d eventually be too tempted to resist looking inside Hux’s mind to find out.

“Well, do you remember that night I asked you to come to my office and you arrived late with three datapads?” Kylo nodded, remembering how determined he had been to prove to Hux, and himself, that he was capable of being the Supreme Leader. “I planned on sleeping with you that night.”

“And every other time since?” Kylo asked, thinking of all their encounters since that moment. “You were trying to… seduce me?”

“Yes,” Hux admitted. 

“So you didn’t want to be friends,” Kylo said, mostly to himself. Phasma had planted the idea in his head that Hux didn’t really want to be friends, but he really hoped that she had been wrong, but it seemed like she’d been in on it the entire time. 

It might have been better than Hux plotting an assassination, but somehow, it hurt more. At least if Hux tried to kill him, he would have expected that. He didn’t know if he wanted to scream or cry or just destroy something with his lightsaber, but he definitely wanted to get away from Hux. He stood up, pushing Hux’s hand off of him, planning on going to his bedroom and hoping he wouldn’t have to see him for a long time.

“Kylo, wait,” Hux said, taking his arm and stopping him. “I didn’t try to befriend you because I honestly didn’t think it would be possible. Once I realized that it was, I was more than happy to be your friend. I wanted so much with you once I realized it was possible. That’s why I kept trying to seduce you even after I’d secured your friendship. I take it you’re not interested in taking our relationship that direction.”

“Why didn’t you say something before?” He wasn’t sure if his explanation really made anything better. He still felt somewhat betrayed by him, but if Hux was being honest, then maybe there was hope.

“I thought I was being obvious. You’re the one who mistook everything.”

“I didn’t know,” Kylo muttered, feeling embarrassed. Although Hux should have simply told him what he wanted instead of playing games. So really, Hux was the one who should feel bad about it, not him.

“You’re still not getting it, are you?”

“Getting what?” Kylo frowned, not sure what Hux was on about.

“Are you open to the idea of sex with me or not? Because I’d hate for all this effort to be for nothing, and clearly, I should have just asked like this from the beginning.”

“I…” Kylo couldn’t help himself and he started laughing, not expecting that Hux was still considering sleeping with him. Apparently, that was the wrong thing to do because Hux turned around and started to head for the door. Kylo wasn’t quick enough to stop him without chasing after him. Realizing he’d upset Hux, he followed him and put his arms around him, pulling him back against him. Given what Hux had wanted from him, Kylo didn’t think he’d mind.

“Did you need to humiliate me some more?” Hux tried pushing him off, but Kylo held onto him. He couldn’t let him go. Not until he explained himself.

“I wasn’t laughing at you,” Kylo said, walking backwards with him to the couch. “It’s just that I’m not… I’m asexual, Hux.” He pushed Hux back on the couch and sat down next to him, but kept a hand on his, wondering if Hux would completely reject him now that he knew the truth.

“Asexual?”

“I… I’m not really attracted to anyone?” Kylo said, feeling unsure. He’d never had to say it out loud. There’d never been a reason to. Now that he said it, he couldn’t help but wonder if it was a mistake to tell him. Maybe he should have kept it to himself. 

“I know what it means,” Hux said, interrupting his thoughts. “I just had no idea. I’d like to apologize, then, for my unwanted advances. I can assure you that it won’t continue, although I do hope our working relationship doesn’t suffer as a result of all this.”

“Of course not,” Kylo said. “I want us to work together. It’s been nice not having to fight with you constantly. And if you want, I’d like to remain friends.”

“I’d like that too,” Hux said, looking up at him again. “I am really sorry about everything. I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable.”

“Hux, I didn’t even know what you were trying to do. And honestly, I actually like it when you touch me.” He scooted a little closer to him on the sofa. “I don’t know if you’d be interested, but… I’d like to continue touching you. And I’d like to try kissing again too. That was nice.”

“I… yes,” Hux said quickly. “Just tell me what you want from me. I don’t know what you’ll be comfortable with.” He brought a hand up towards Kylo’s face, hesitated, and then touched his cheek. Kylo leaned into his touch, turning his head so he could kiss his palm.

“This is good,” Kylo murmured. He moved down to kiss him on the wrist. He really didn’t know what he was doing, but he glanced up at Hux’s face to see him staring right where Kylo had kissed him. And he wasn’t trying to stop him, so he kept going. He couldn’t push Hux’s sleeve up much further, but he kissed every bit of exposed skin that he could.

He had just finished that when Hux put his hand behind his head and pulled him up, and Kylo didn’t try to resist him. He brought his lips to Hux’s and kissed him lightly. Hux, with a hand still behind his head, pulled Kylo with him as he laid down on the couch, kissing him the entire time.

Kylo was lying fully on top of Hux by the time they finally broke apart, although he was careful not to put his full weight on him. Without his coat, Hux looked so scrawny and fragile. He smiled at him, knowing he could never get away with voicing that thought and kissed him again.

At some point, Hux put his leg around Kylo’s back, pulling him against him, which also allowed Kylo to feel exactly how much Hux was enjoying their make out session, and he quickly pushed himself off of Hux and sat up. On it’s own, Kylo wasn’t bothered by it, but he worried that Hux would want more than he could give or would be disappointed.

“Are you okay?” Hux asked, sitting up as well. 

Kylo nodded, although he really wasn’t sure how he felt. He liked what he had with Hux and didn’t want to risk their new relationship, but he decided to take a chance. After all, Hux had been very understanding so far.

“I don’t want to have sex,” Kylo said, almost whispering, fearing the worst from Hux. “Everything else is great, but I’m not sure about sex.”

“I figured,” Hux said. “I can’t really control my reaction, but I’m not expecting anything from you. Just whatever you’re comfortable with.”

“I think maybe… maybe I’d like to work up to having sex. With you. Eventually. But I don’t know when or if I’ll be ready for that.”

Hux put an arm around his shoulders, and Kylo noted that he didn’t flinch that time. Finally, he seemed to be getting used to Hux’s touch. Hux pulled him close so he was resting against his chest and wrapped his arms around him before lying back down on the couch.

“It’s okay,” Hux assured him, bringing a hand up to play with his hair. “Whenever you’re ready. If you’re ready. And it’s okay if you’re not. This is very likely the best relationship I’ve ever had or ever will have. I’m not about to throw it away because I’m horny and my boyfriend isn’t.”

“Boyfriend?” Kylo couldn’t help but smile.

“Well, yes,” Hux said. “If you’d like.”

Kylo nodded, still smiling. He’d never thought he’d have a chance for any kind of romantic relationship. Hux seemed to understand him and his needs, which was unexpected, but exactly what Kylo had always wanted and now that he had it, he couldn’t imagine being happier. That was the most surprising part - that it was Hux of all people that could give him such a thing. 

“I never planned on getting rid of you,” Kylo said after a while, nearly falling asleep on Hux. “But I’m glad you thought I would.”

“Me too, Kylo.” Hux held him tighter and planted a kiss on the top of his head. Kylo could definitely get used to this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Here's the art on tumblr](https://amikoroyaiart.tumblr.com/post/178388578237/in-order-to-ensure-hes-indispensable-to-the-new) because I know you all want to reblog it!


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